Chelsea’s housing boss was rarely on the job

Just 15 full days in town this year, records show

The phone records are like a diary of McLaughlin’s work life, painting a picture of an executive who was constantly on the phone but rarely stayed long in the city where he managed low-income housing. The records show he didn’t go to Chelsea at all on almost half the working days in 2011, spending 47 weekdays in Maine and Florida with his top assistant and close personal friend, Linda Thibodeau. He spent another 21 work days at out-of-state conferences from Phoenix to Miami, usually with Thibodeau.